AAP Tip of the Week – Thanksgiving
The upcoming holiday provides a much-needed break at a critical time in the semester. The break can be a good time to catch up on organizing class materials, but be sure to take some time for yourself as well. Make sure to get enough rest and relaxation to give yourself the energy you need to finish your classes and prepare for exams. Communicate with friends and family in advance so that you know what to expect and can plan your study, recreational, and travel time accordingly.
Academic Achievement Director Brian Farrell is available to discuss study skills, exam preparation, time management, or any other issues related to academic performance. Contact Brian at 335-8273 or brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu.
AAP Tip of the Week – Study Space
As finals draw near, it’s important to find a study space where you can be productive. Different people can be productive in different settings. Some work well in crowded cafes, others work well in secluded libraries, and others prefer to work from home. Check out the university libraries webpage to explore different study spots and their hours of operations: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/locations/hours.html Find a productive spot that works for you, but remember not to waste time meandering from place to place and be mindful that study spots get very crowded the week before undergraduate finals.
Academic Achievement Director Brian Farrell is available to discuss study skills, exam preparation, time management, or any other issues related to academic performance. Contact Brian at 335-8273 or brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu.
AAP Tip of the Week – Time Management
Given the recent warm weather, it’s almost hard to believe that we’re well into November. The prospect of final exams in a month should not cause you to panic regardless of how much (or little) exam preparation you’ve done so far. However, it is important to have a plan to make the best use of the remaining days. Consider sitting down and mapping out your major study goals for the remainder of the semester on one sheet of paper so that you have a clear picture of what milestones you need to reach over the next four weeks. (Free exam planning calendars are available outside the AAP office.) Take into account major assignments and personal obligations. Then create more detailed weekly or daily schedules that provide a realistic plan for your day to day usage of time.
Academic Achievement Director Brian Farrell is available to discuss study skills, exam preparation, time management, or any other issues related to academic performance. Contact Brian at 335-8273 or brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu.
AAP Exam Planning Calendars Available
Exam planning calendars are now available outside the AAP office (Room 189). These calendars conveniently show the period from November 8 to December 19 on one page and are extremely useful for planning out reading, outlining, studying, and other tasks in the busy weeks to come. Feel free to contact Brian at 335-8273 or brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu for advice on time management.
AAP Tip of the Week – Practice Questions
Writing answers to practice questions is one of the most effective things a law student can do to prepare for exams. It helps you learn course content while also developing the essential skill of applying the law to a new fact set. Need to find good practice questions? Many professors have old exams available on reserve in the Law Library (stop at the circulation desk). Even if there is not an exam available from your specific professor, it may be worthwhile to look at a different exam from the same course. Casebooks and select commercial materials can also be good sources of simple practice questions. Finally, it can be extremely valuable to write your own hypothetical to be answered by your study group, a study partner, or even yourself. Remember, the source of the question is not what’s important; what is important is that it helps you practice the essential skill of applying the law.
Academic Achievement Director Brian Farrell is available to discuss study skills, exam preparation, time management, or any other issues related to academic performance. Contact Brian at 335-8273 or brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu.
AAP: Prof. Raymond’s PowerPoint on Essay Exams
Professor Raymond’s PowerPoint presentation which she used in her October 22 program on essay exams is now available online at http://www.law.uiowa.edu/documents/aap_Essayexams.pdf.
AAP Program: Research for Seminar Students, Oct. 8
Reference librarian Ted Potter will provide a research refresher and helpful tips for writing successful seminar papers. This program will take place at 12:40 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, in Room 245 and is open to 2Ls and 3Ls enrolled in seminars. Please RSVP to brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu by noon on Wednesday, October 7, indicating the seminar in which you are enrolled and your likely paper topic, if determined.
Appointments with AAP Director Brian Farrell
AAP Director Brian Farrell is available to meet with students one-on-one to discuss study skills, exam-taking skills, time/stress management, and other issues impacting academic performance. Schedule an appointment by contacting Brian at brian-r-farrell@uiowa.edu or 335-8273.